Insulin inhaler could replace injections

British doctors have developed the first insulin inhaler, potentially spelling the end of injections for millions of diabetics.

The doctors say four years of trials were so successful that they have applied for a licence to market the drug and hope it will be available within a year.

Diabetes is believed to affect 2.8 million Britons, although it is estimated a million of those do not realise they have it.

Some sufferers need to inject themselves with insulin up to four times a day to control their blood sugar levels. The process can be painful and distressing, especially for younger victims. But they will need to take only one puff of the new drug daily, using a device similar to an asthma inhaler.

Professor Anthony Barnett of the University of Birmingham and Heartlands & Solihull NHS Trust, who led the study, said: "We hope inhaled insulin will provide more choice, making it easier for people with diabetes to stay healthy."